rubbing salt in someone's wounds

A form of rub salt in someone's wounds — To make a painful situation even worse (even with the best of intentions).

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Meanings

verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of rub salt in someone's wounds
Cite this entry
APA

rubbing salt in someone's wounds. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rubbing%20salt%20in%20someone's%20wounds

MLA

“rubbing salt in someone's wounds.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rubbing%20salt%20in%20someone's%20wounds. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “rubbing salt in someone's wounds,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rubbing%20salt%20in%20someone's%20wounds.

Source: rubbing salt in someone's wounds on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.